Portable collapsible shelter

ABSTRACT

Top and bottom plates, connected by flexible end and back walls, are adapted to be separated to move the top wall upwardly and stretch the flexible walls into planiform shape, and a single supporting center post is adapted to rest on the bottom plate and to support the top plate. The user sits on the bottom plate and the top plate and side walls shelter him from the weather.

United States Patent Barker July 8, 1975 [54] PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER 2,245,312 6/1941 White .1 13517.1 R 3, 2,25 9 I96 De J J [76] Inventor: Joseph K. Barker, Rt. 2, Abmgdon, 33 1 3 3i l 24210 3,665,944 5/1972 Knapp 135/5 8 [22] Filed: May 7, 1973 Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun pp No: 357,833 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John X. Phillips 52 us. Cl 135/5 R [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. E04F 10/10 T p n bottom p connected y xi n an [58] Field of Search 135/1 R, l A, 5 R, 5 A, back walls, are adapted to be separated to move the 135/5 B, 5 D, 7.1 R, 3 C, 4 B; 190/13, 44; top wall upwardly and stretch the flexible walls into 150/49 planiform shape, and a single supporting center post is adapted to rest on the bottom plate and to support the [56] References Cited top plate. The user sits on the bottom plate and the UNITED STATES PATENTS top plate and side walls shelter him from the weather. 835,869 11/1906 Ryan 135/5 A 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures l,409,3l6 3/1922 135/5 B PATFMTFHJUL :3 I975 SHEET 1 PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATION In my co-pending application Ser. No. 202,884, filed Nov. 29, 1971, I have disclosed a portable shelter particularly for use at athletic games to protect the user from the weather. The device is especially useful at the athletic fields of high schools and colleges where the stands are not covered and continuous bench type seats are provided. In the co-pending application similar top and bottom plates are employed connected by a water proof flexible sheet extending across the back and both ends of the shelter and cemented to the top and bottom plates. A plurality of posts support the top plate, one post being arranged in each corner of the shelter therewithin to support the top plate and stretch the flexible sheet to its limit. The posts frictionally engage at their ends with the plates.

As a part of my prior construction, the open front of the shelter is provided with an apron supported with its upper end spaced from the top plate so that the user, occupying the shelter, can look out over the top of the apron. Moreover, a visor is pivoted to the forward edge of the top plate and extends throughout the length thereof to prevent rain from falling into the shelter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present construction employs substantially rigid top and bottom plates which most economically can be formed of molded plastic and each is provided with vertical flanges around the edges thereof, the flanges of the top plate depending therefrom and the flanges of the bottom plate extending upwardly. The flange at the forward edge of the bottom plate is omitted. The top plate is supported by a single center post engaging tightly against the upper plate to stretch the end and back flexible walls into planiform shape. Preferably the facing surfaces of the plates are provided with sockets to receive the ends of the posts, and where a simple integral post is employed, the sockets may be shallow. As an alternative, the center post may be formed of extensible sections so that the top plate may be lowered if desired, for example to prevent the top plate from being arranged too high and obstructing the view of people seated behind the shelter. In such case, the sockets will be relatively longer to serve as bearings to maintain the top plate horizontal, the lowering of the top plate causing some slack in the flexible walls. A cushion may be provided for the bottom plate and this conveniently may be formed of a rectangular piece of foam rubber of any desired thickness. The center of the cushion will be provided with an opening for the extension therethrough of the lower end of the post. The shelter is provided with a visor as in my co-pending application and is preferably provided with an apron, although the latter forms no part of the present invention and has not been illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shelter in operative position on a bench seat;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an underside perspective of the top plate;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken centrally of the she]- ter showing a modified form of supporting post;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of top plate having reinforcing stiffening ribs;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the post in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shelter with the visor folded back, and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section on line 88 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the numerals l0 and 11 respectively indicate the top and bottom plates of the structure which preferably are formed of molded plastic, which is more economical than sheet aluminum used in my prior construction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the top plate 10 is provided with depending end flanges l2 and a depending rear flange 14 which tend to rigidify the plate and provide an additional function referred to below. The bottom plate 11 is provided with upstanding end flanges l6 and a rear flange 18 which also serves several functions.

The sides and back of the space within the shelter are closed by a preferably integral sheet of material indicated as a whole by the numeral 20 and forming end walls 22 and a back wall 24. In my prior construction identified above, the flexible sheet was extended inwardly over the top plate and inwardly beneath the bottom plate and cemented thereto. The plate flanges in the present case not only reinforce the plates 10 and II, but also provide surfaces to which the sheet 20 can be much more conveniently cemented. The sheet 20 is flexible and may be formed of any suitable material such as plastic, but is preferably formed of plastic coated nylon. Such material is completely waterproof and highly flexible so that when the top plate is not supported it can be moved downwardly in close proximity to the bottom plate.

The top plate is supported by a center post 26 which may be a single wood post preferably of circular cross section, although any suitable material may be used. The ends of the post are preferably received in a shallow socket 28 depending from the top plate and a similar socket 30 upstanding from the bottom plate. These sockets are molded integral with the respective plates. When assembled as shown in FIG. I, the bottom plate rests on a continuous flat stadium seat 32.

A visor 34 of any suitable material protects the top portion of the shelter opening from the weather. This visor has its upper edge pivoted to the forward edge of the plate 10 by a strip 36 which may be formed of the same material as the sheet 20 and is cemented to the adjacent edge portion of the visor 34 and top plate 10. The visor is provided at its ends with wings 38, each having one edge pivoted to an end of the visor by a strip 40 cemented in position as shown in FIG. 1 and forming a hinge. These wings are adapted to lie just within the side walls 22 and are adjustably connected thereto by spring clips 42.

When a shorter person is occupying the shelter, it may be desirable to lower the top plate to avoid obstructing the view of people seated behind the shelter. In this case, the post is provided with telescoping sections 44 and 46 which may be held in adjusted positions by a collar 48 resting on the upper end of the post section 44 and fixed in position by a wing nut 50. If the top plate 10 is lowered, the walls 22 and 24 will be slacked somewhat and it is desired to prevent the top plate from tilting. For this purpose the plates 10 and 12 are provided with more elongated sockets 52 and 54 to pro vide longer engaging bearing surfaces between the portions of the supporting posts and the inner surfaces of the sockets.

While the top plate 10 is relatively rigid, it has been found that the center of the top plate may be flexed upwardly to a sufficient extent for engagement of the upper end of the post 26 in the socket 28. If necessary for additional stiffening, the molded plastic top plate shown in FIG. may be employed. This plate is indicated by the numeral 56 and is provided on its top face with integral reinforcing ribs 58 radiating outwardly from the center of the plate directly above the upper post socket. These ribs 58 transmit vertical forces from the post to the four corners of the top plate to maintain the walls 22 and 24 planiform.

A cushion 60 shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 and in dotted lines in FIG. 4 may be employed. This cushion may be of any desired form but preferably is a rectangular sheet of foam rubber at least 1 inch thick. The center of such cushion is provided with an opening 62 for the passage therethrough of the lower end of the supporting post.

OPERATION The operation of the device will be rather apparent from the foregoing description. With the structure collapsed, it will form a relatively flat package which can be conveniently carried in a flat nylon or similar bag provided with a slide fastener. In collapsed condition, the visor wings 38 will be folded upwardly and inwardly over the visor, and then the visor and wings can be folded upwardly and over the top of the plate as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. With these parts in the positions referred to, the bottom plate will be placed on the seat 32, whereupon the user will place his hand beneath the top plate 10 and lift it upward. The lower end of the post 26 is then placed in the socket 30 and, with the plate 10 flexed slightly upwardly at the center. the upper end of the post will be inserted in the socket 28. This socket preferably is shallower than shown and, in fact, may be only a depression in the bottom surface of the plate 10.

The user will then swing the visor 34 forwardly and outwardly to the approximate position shown in FIG. I, whereupon the wings 38 will be swung outwardly and arranged within the side walls 22 as shown in FIG. 1. The clips 42 then will be slipped into position to support the visor, and obviously the visor is adjustable to any position where the user can look beneath the forward end of the visor. In dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 4, an apron 64 may be employed as in my co-pending application referred to, the lower end of the apron swinging out over the user's knees. This apron may be supported in any suitable manner. It forms no part of the present invention.

The device is primarily intended for use as a shelter in stadiums which have no cover and are provided with long bench type seats, such stadiums being common at high schools and colleges. The device is far superior to an umbrella since it protects the user on all sides. Moreover, the top plate will be arranged much lower than the central portion of an umbrella which is held higher above the head and interferes with the view of a spectator in the next higher rear seat.

The device also has other important uses, for example as a shelter for deer hunters taking a stand near a deer trail. The device is also useful as a shelter in duck blinds, rendering duck hunters far more comfortable by protecting the user from the weather. The device also may be used as a shelter for fishermen fishing from piers or boats.

I claim:

1. A portable temporary shelter comprising top and bottom substantially rigid plates, flexible waterproof end and side walls secured at their upper and lower ends respectively to the end edge portions of said plates and the back portions thereof, movement of said top plate upwardly from said bottom plate stretching said end and rear walls into substantially planiform shape, and a unit structurally separate from said plates and comprising solely a single vertical post extending between said top and bottom plates and having with said plates interengaging portions centrally of said plates, said post being of such a length as to exert an upward force against said upper plate, which force is transmitted by said upper plate radially from said post to maintain said end and side walls in planiform shape, engagement of opposite ends of said post with the respective plates being solely by tight frictional contact therewith, said bottom plate being adapted to support a user of the device on each side of said post.

2. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said plates are provided with sockets centrally thereof to receive the ends of said post to form said interengaging portions.

3. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said post is formed of telescoping sections adjustably connected to each other for the lowering to a limited extent of said top plate, said sockets being relatively long to provide interengaging bearing surfaces between the ends of said post and said sockets to maintain said top plate in horizontal position when said top plate is lowered.

4. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said top plate is provided with reinforcing ribs on the top surface thereof, said ribs radiating outwardly from the center of said upper plate toward the corners thereof to transmit more effectively to said corners upward forces exerted against the bottom of said top plate by said post. 

1. A portable temporary shelter comprising top and bottom substantially rigid plates, flexible waterproof end and side walls secured at their upper and lower ends respectively to the end edge portions of said plates and the back portions thereof, movement of said top plate upwardly from said bottom plate stretching said end and rear walls into substantially planiform shape, and a unit structurally separate from said plates and comprising solely a single vertical post extending between said top and bottom plates and having with said plates interengaging portions centrally of said plates, said post being of such a length as to exert an upward force against said upper plate, which force is transmitted by said upper plate radially from said post to maintain said end and side walls iN planiform shape, engagement of opposite ends of said post with the respective plates being solely by tight frictional contact therewith, said bottom plate being adapted to support a user of the device on each side of said post.
 2. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said plates are provided with sockets centrally thereof to receive the ends of said post to form said interengaging portions.
 3. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said post is formed of telescoping sections adjustably connected to each other for the lowering to a limited extent of said top plate, said sockets being relatively long to provide interengaging bearing surfaces between the ends of said post and said sockets to maintain said top plate in horizontal position when said top plate is lowered.
 4. A shelter according to claim 1 wherein said top plate is provided with reinforcing ribs on the top surface thereof, said ribs radiating outwardly from the center of said upper plate toward the corners thereof to transmit more effectively to said corners upward forces exerted against the bottom of said top plate by said post. 